Cornwall - 14th June

I was up early this AM, covered the trap and then headed to Kenidjack. I sorted the trap later but here are some of the species caught in the garden (all the moth pics were taken on my iPhone):

The star, a Striped Hawk-moth the first I have ever caught

Striped Hawk-moth

Elephant Hawk-moth - Always a stunning species to see

Cream-spot Tiger - Three in the trap

Broad-barred White

Middle-barred Minor

Silver-ground Carpet

Buff Ermine

Brown Silver-lines

At Kenidjack it was very quiet and I saw little of real note. There were five Chough at the bottom of the valley and while I didn't get great views it appeared that they were two adults with three recently fledged young. Both Whitethroat and Swallow also had fledged young, a pair of Whitethroat had three fledged young and the male was in full song presumably hoping for a second brood despite his rather worn looking plumage while another male lower down the valley was nest building.

Kenidjack

Recently fledged Swallow

Whitethroat - Male in full song while his mate tended three recently fledged chicks

Whitethroat - Kendijack

I then headed to Pendeen and birded for a short while around the lighthouse and the scrub just inland but again it was pretty slow going. A flock of 15 Kittiwake fed in the bay below, stunning with their crisp plumage against the blue sea but a little distant for any more than a record shot. The grassland sward was vibrant with Common Blue amongst the Common Bird's-foot-trefoil and Dyer's Greenweed. A brood of very recently fledged Stonechat flicked around the lighthouse grounds and adjacent garden and a pair of Chough fed along the roadside. Out to sea a large flock of 2,000-3,000 Manx Shearwater was feeding but they were just too far out for anything more than a record shot. I returned back to the cottage and headed out for an afternoon on the beach in the glorious conditions.

Kittiwake - Pendeen

Common Blue Pendeen

Common Bird's-foot-trefoil - Pendeen

Juvenile Stonechat - Pendeen

Chough - Note the heavy wing moult - Pendeen

Chough - Pendeen

Raven - Pendeen

Linnet in breeding plumage - Pendeen

Manx Shearwater - Part of flock of 2,000-3,000 birds feeding off Pendeen

Red Admiral

The red admiral is one of my favourite butterflies and is a familiar site feeding at ivy blossom, buddleja, blackberries and windfallen fruit in the autumn. The species is familiar throughout the UK and can be found in inner city areas where buddleja is a favoured foodplant. The red admiral occurs throught the USA, Europe, North Africa and as far east as Iran. Some populations are strongly migratory and influxes into the UK are thought to originate in Europe or as far south as North Africa. While the species overwinters in small numbers in the UK in the spring numbers are bolstered by early immigrants. However, numbers reach their peak in the autumn after successful breeding during the summer months and additional waves of immigration. A recent walk in Kenidjack Valley to the east of St. Just produced over 75 feeding on ivy blossom and while many of these may have emerged in the UK it is probable that many were fresh immigrants from swollen European populations.

Red Admiral (Simon Colenutt)